Emma Raducanu marked her return to action with a straight-sets win over Suzan Lamens at the Madrid Open.
The 22-year-old took a break from the WTA Tour following her run to the Miami Open quarter-finals last month, swapping tournament action for a training block ahead of the clay-court swing.
It appeared to pay dividends as she opened her campaign in the Spanish capital with a 7-6 6-4 win over Lamens.
Raducanu, who is continuing her partnership with Andy Murray’s former coach Mark Petchey on an informal basis, looked clinical and assured against the Dutchwoman to set up a second-round meeting with Marta Kostyuk.
Raducanu will be pleased with how she prevailed in the first set, winning a tight contest that swung both ways with an exchange of breaks.
The Briton was strongest in the tie-break, though, winning four successive points from 2-3 down to edge in front.
Lamens, ranked 73 in the world, was 2-0 up in the second set as she threatened a comeback, but Raducanu regained control.
She broke twice to lead 5-4 and then served it out for victory, banishing her Madrid demons from a year prior, where she suffered arguably her worst loss of the year to Maria Carle in the same competition.
